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CA1182169A - Sensing device - Google Patents

Sensing device

Info

Publication number
CA1182169A
CA1182169A CA000380229A CA380229A CA1182169A CA 1182169 A CA1182169 A CA 1182169A CA 000380229 A CA000380229 A CA 000380229A CA 380229 A CA380229 A CA 380229A CA 1182169 A CA1182169 A CA 1182169A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
sensing
sensing device
floatation
printed circuit
nitrile
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000380229A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Ralph A. Perry
Raymond J. Andrejasich
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Emhart Industries Inc
Original Assignee
Emhart Industries Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Emhart Industries Inc filed Critical Emhart Industries Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1182169A publication Critical patent/CA1182169A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01NINVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N25/00Investigating or analyzing materials by the use of thermal means
    • G01N25/18Investigating or analyzing materials by the use of thermal means by investigating thermal conductivity
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01NINVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N33/00Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
    • G01N33/18Water
    • G01N33/1826Organic contamination in water
    • G01N33/1833Oil in water

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analyzing Materials By The Use Of Electric Means (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analysing Materials By Optical Means (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analyzing Non-Biological Materials By The Use Of Chemical Means (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analysing Materials By The Use Of Chemical Reactions (AREA)

Abstract

SENSING DEVICE
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A sensing device for detecting a substance including hydrocarbons on the surface of water provides a floatation device for floating on the water surface and for supporting at least one sensing element for detecting the hydrocarbon substance with the floatation device is composed substantially of nitrile and having printed circuitry deposited on the nitrile for providing electrical connection between the sensing element and an electrical conductor for coupling the element to a sensing instrument.

Description

BACKGROU~D OF THE_INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ~ _ _ The present invention generally relates to sensing devices employing floatation means and, in par-ticular, to such sensing devices as are used for detecting hydrocarbon substances in ground water.
Reference is made to co-pending application serial n 380,230 assigned to the same assignee as this application and directed to a sensing device and speci~ically to the construc tion thereof as a floatation unit having a circumferential mounting surface and a central floatation body to maintain sensing elements at different known depths.
2. Sta-tement_of the Prior Art The wide spread use of fossil fuels in the world today has caused many problems with -the pollution of drinking water and drinking water sources. For this reason, sensing devices have been developed for detecting the presence of hydrocarbon containing substances in ground water. One such detectiny device is described in U.S. patent No~ 4 7 2219125 and employs a semiconductor sensing element mounted on a floa-tation device for maintaining the sensing element in proximlty -to the surface of the ground w~ter. Unfortunately, due to the presence of various corrosive chemicals in ground water~ which chemicals include hydrocarbon substances, it has been determined that it is important to prevent the deterioration of the sensing device when exposed to such chemical substances~ A related sensing device is disclosed in U.S. patent No. 4,223,552. However, that device encloses the sensing element in absorbent material 7 limiting use of the device to a single sensing operation. It has been discovered by a co-inventor of the present invention that the use of a closed cell neoprene ~ubber called nitrile for the floatation device avoids corrosive and deteriorative ,, s effects caused by various substances present in ground water.
This discovexy is described in the co-pending patent application entitled ~Sensing Device" by Ralph A~ Perry fi.led of even date herewithO Prior developments of the electrical connection means for connecting the sensing element to a sensing instru-ment have only included relatively complicated and expensive to produce coupling assembliges D Therefore, a need exits for a simpler yet reliable electrical connection means.

-la-SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an improved sensing device has been developed which reduces the cost and production complexity of the electrical connection means necessary for connecting the sensing elements to a sensing instrument. The present invention includes a sensing device for detecting a substance including hydrocarbons on the surFace of water, comprising a floatation means for floating on the water surface and for supporting at least one sensing element for detecting the substance, the floatation means being composed substantially of nitrile and having printed circuit means d~posited on the nitrile for providing electrical connection between the sensing element and an electrical coupling means for coupling said element to a sensing instrument.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is illustratively described with respect to the appended drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a bottom view of a sensing device member constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a top view of the member of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a side view of the member of Figs. 1 and 2 further including a plurality of sensing elements;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the member as shown in Fig. 2 including electrical conductors connected thereto;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the member of Fig. 4 shown in final form for use as a sensing element;
Fig. 6 is a partially sectioned view taken along view line 6-6 of Fig. 2 of the sensing device member as shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 7 is a partially sectioned view similar to Fig. 6 but showing a different version for the mounting of the sensing elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In respect to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, member 10 of a sensing device is ~ ~ ' shown with bottom, top and side views, respectively~ The member 10 generally includes a mounting surface 12, a floatation means 14, and a top surface 16. The downwardly facing mounting surface 12 includes a plurality oF apertures 18 in which sensing elements may be mounted.
The apertures 18 are arranged in pairs to allow use of dual leaded sensing elements. The sensing elements 20, 22~ 2~ and 26 are shown in Fig. 3 extending from the apertures 1~ to various distances ~rom the downwardly facing surface 12. The sensing elements 20, 22, 24 and 26 are dual leaded semiconductor junction devices or diodes. The upper ends of the apertures 18 are shown extending to the upper surface 16 in Fig. 2.
The floatation means 14 extends downwardly from the mounting surface 12 and is intended to exhibit a positive bouyancy in whatever medium is chosen for the sensor to operate. The size of the floatation means 14 is designed to cause the mounting surface 12 to be located at the surface of the liquid in which the device is operating. By these means, the sensing elements, which are located at predetermined distances from moun~ing surface 12, are held at known distances below the liquid surface. This allows accurate measurements to be taken of the depth of the substances located on top of the liquid medium.
The entire sensing device member 10 including the Floatation means 14 and an upper section 26 forming the mounting surface 12 and the upper surface 16 is made from a closed cell foamed neoprene rubber generically known as nitrile and available under the tradename NITROPHYL from Rogers Corporation of Willimantic, ~onnecticut~ The material nitrile is useful in the applications of the present invention because it exhibits resistance to chemical decomposition when exposed to a variety of substances including hydrocarbons. Thus~ when used to detect the presence of hydrocarbons on the surface of ground water, the nitrile does not decompose when exposed to either ground minerals or the hydrocarbon substances.

6~

The top surface 16 is used for connecting the sensing elements 20, 22, 24 and 26 to an electrical cable for eventual connection to a sensing or measurement instrument (not shown). The top view of the sensing device member 10 shows a plurality of printed circuit lands deposited on the top sur-face 16, which lands 28 each has one end thereof located in proximity to each of the apertures 18. These ends are so located to allow connection of the sensing elements thereto by such means as soldering. The lands 28 each have another end 30, all of which are proximally located to allow connection thereof to a multi-conductor cable. The lands 28 are directly deposited on the surface of thenitrile to avoid the use of a separate printed circuit board in addition to the construction of the member 10. The process by which the printed circuit lands are so formed on the surface of nitrile is covered by one or more of U" S. Patent Nos. 3,956~041; 4,160,050; 4,144,118, which patents are assigned to the Kollmorgen Corporation. The application of the printed circuit lands 28 to the nitrile was~ performed for the present embodiment by PCK Technology of Glen Cove, New York.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a central aperture 32 is located through the middle of the member 10 for allowing slidable mounting of the member 10 on a vertical member facilitating the ability of the member 10 to follow the level of the liquid or water being monitored.
Fig. 4 shows the sensing device 10 having an electrical conductor in the form of a ribbon cable 33 connected to the lands 28. The cable 33 used for the present embodiment is available from Amp Incorporated under part No. 5107-1202-2. The cable includes eight separate conductors 34 located along the edges of the cable 33 in pairs of four. Each of the conductors 34 has a terminal 35 connected to the end thereof which terminals 35 are soldered to the separate lands 28 at their ends 30.
The cable 33 is modified by the inclusion of a series of holes 36 located approximately midway between the folds of the cable. In the ~Z~3 present embodiment, a guide cable (not shown) passes through the holes 36. During construction, the cable is initially held to the top surface of the device 10 by means of a strain relief bar 37 which is secured by a pair of screws 38 to the top surface 16 of the device 10. Fig. 4 further shows a guide pipe means 39 which is secured within the aperture 32 of Fig. 2. In operation, a guide caole is located through the holes 36 and the guide pipe 39 to stabilize the sensing device from lateral movement but to allow vertical movement in accordance with changes in water level.
Fig. 5 shows the sensing device 10 as assembled in Fig. 4 and further including an epoxy resin sealant 40 located over the top of surface 16. During construction of the device 10, a periphera7 ridge 41 located around the surface 16 helps to confine the liquid epoxy mixture prior to its setting. Any suitable epoxy mixture may be used for the sealant covering 40. One such mixture is described below in reference to Fig. 7.
Figs. 6 and 7 show partially sectional views of the sensing device member 10 having a plurality of sensing elements 22, 24 and 26 mounted thereon. The sections are taken along view lines 6-6 of Fig. 2 and show two different means For mounting the sensing element 26, either of which means may be used for the other elements 20, 22 and 24. In Fig. 6, the apertures 18 are shown as being plated through from the upper surface 16 to the lower mounting surface 12. By this means, the sensing element 26 is mounted to the member 10 and electrically connected by the soldering of its leads 42 at the points 43 which points are the lower extremities of the plated through apertures 18. The plating on the inside of apertures 18 is made as a part o-f the lands 28 located on the upper surface 16 and thus no further coupling is needed thereto. In Fig. 7, the apertures 18 are not plated through and thus the leads 42 must extend all the way therethrough in order to be connected to the lands 28.

~L~8%~6~

This connection may be made by any means such as soldering. In the case of sensing elements such as 26 which extend to some distance below the mounting surface 12, the leads 42 thereof must be extended.
In this case, the extension is formed by a pair of electrical leads 44 which are butt-welded at their ends to the ends of leads 42 ~ The leads 44 are made of nickel for their low thermal conductivity characteristics.
The sensing elements 22~ 24 and 26 are shown encased in electrical insulation 46. The insulation shown is commonly known as shrink tubing and is available from Amp Incorporated under part No. 603342-lo The tubing used is clear in color and has a minimized thickness to reduce desensitizing effects on the sensing elements. In the present embodiment, tubing having a thickness of .015 inches (o38 millimeters) or less is used. The ends of the tubing extend into a pair of recesses 48 located in the bottom mounting surface 12 and are sealed thereto by an epoxy sealant contained within said recesses 48~ Any suitable epoxy resin will suffice and the material used for the present embodiment is Isochem 401 NV clear with an aliphatic amine curing agent, Isochem 9/22 hardner, with a Thermoset 50Z black coloring in the ratio of 75%-22%-3%~
respectively. These are available from Isochem Resins, Inc., of Lincoln, R.I. Thus mounted, the sensing element or diode is very well insulated from the environment in which it is located. Because the sensing device depends upon measurement of the current flowing through the various elements or diodes, it is important that leakage current between the leads 42 and 44 not be allowed to flow. Such leakage current would usually be caused by substances located in the liquid being monitored such as ground water minerals and the like. The combination of the shrink tubing surrounding the diode and the sealing of the ends thereof to the float or member 10 electrically isolate the diode from the liquid being monitored and thus block any such leakage current.
The present invention thus provides a sensing device having an 16~

easily constructed connection means between the sensing elements and the measurement instrument. Further, the use of constructions such as separate circuit boards have been avoided thus preventing the reliability problems associated therewith.
The present invention is related in subject matter to two co-pending patent applications entitled "SENSING DEVICE" by Ralph A. Perry and James M. Booe, and "SENSING DEVICE" by Ralph A. Perry, both of which were filed of even date herewith. The disclosures of these copending applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
The description of the embodiments of the present invention contained herein is intended to be taken in an illustratively and not in a limiting sense. Various modifications and changes may be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of the present invention as def;ned by the appended claims.

Claims (5)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A sensing device for detecting a substance including hydrocarbons on the surface of water, comprising a floatation means for floating on said water surface and for supporting at least one sensing element for detecting said substance, said floatation means being composed sub-stantially of nitrile and having printed circuit means deposited on said nitrile for providing electrical connection between said sensing element and an electrical coupling means for coupling said element to a sensing instrument.
2. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein said floatation means includes a downwardly facing surface for mounting said sensing element to extend into said water, and an upwardly facing surface on which said electrical coupling means may be attached, said printed circuit means including a portion extending through said floatation means for providing said electrical connection between said sensing element and said electrical coupling means.
3. The sensing device of claim 2, wherein said printed circuit means also includes a portion located on said upwardly facing surface.
4. The sensing device of claim 3, wherein said printed circuit means includes a portion adapted for direct electrical connection to one end of a wire forming said electrical coupling means.
5. The sensing device of claim 4, wherein said floatation means further includes strain relief attachment means for attaching a portion of said wire away from said one end thereof to said floatation means to prevent strain from being placed on said direct connection of said wire to said printed circuit means.
CA000380229A 1980-10-17 1981-06-19 Sensing device Expired CA1182169A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/197,955 US4361031A (en) 1980-10-17 1980-10-17 Sensing device
US06/197,955 1980-10-17

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1182169A true CA1182169A (en) 1985-02-05

Family

ID=22731422

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000380229A Expired CA1182169A (en) 1980-10-17 1981-06-19 Sensing device

Country Status (11)

Country Link
US (1) US4361031A (en)
JP (1) JPS5770439A (en)
AU (1) AU535869B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1182169A (en)
DE (1) DE3127312A1 (en)
DK (1) DK364681A (en)
FR (1) FR2492532A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2086579B (en)
IT (2) IT1144639B (en)
NO (1) NO812976L (en)
SE (1) SE8106026L (en)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4725818A (en) * 1985-09-13 1988-02-16 Simplex Time Recorder Co. Walk through test system
DE3622348A1 (en) * 1986-07-03 1988-01-07 Kabelmetal Electro Gmbh Local area network
US9013316B2 (en) * 2011-07-28 2015-04-21 Finsecur Smoke detector

Family Cites Families (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE7625177U1 (en) * 1900-01-01 Dipl.-Ing. Robert Heidenreich Inh. Frank Heidenreich Elektrische Anlagen Und Geraete, 7471 Strassberg
US2660194A (en) * 1952-08-09 1953-11-24 Us Rubber Co Expanded cellular plastic flotation body
FR1399477A (en) * 1964-06-25 1965-05-14 Indicator device sensitive to oil layers on water
US3720797A (en) * 1971-09-10 1973-03-13 K Gunn Gas fusing sensing device
IT1012182B (en) * 1973-05-11 1977-03-10 Asahi Chemical Ind LIQUID DETECTOR DEVICE
US3918034A (en) * 1974-02-11 1975-11-04 Petrotek Oil detection and signaling system
JPS512490A (en) * 1974-06-25 1976-01-10 Japan Gasoline
JPS5217891A (en) * 1975-06-28 1977-02-10 Nippon Sheet Glass Co Ltd Device for detection of efflux of ligh-shielding liquid
JPS5217084A (en) * 1975-07-30 1977-02-08 Takaaki Hayashi Oil-water relay
DE2601410A1 (en) * 1975-12-30 1977-07-21 Robert Heidenreich Inh Frank H Surface film monitor for oil and fuel - insulating coating on floating electrode is dissolved and circuit established
DE2559233A1 (en) * 1975-12-30 1977-07-14 Robert Heidenreich Inh Frank H Floating oil indicator device - opens contacts by spring when oil soluble adhesive separates two-part float
US4131773A (en) * 1976-03-24 1978-12-26 Texaco Inc. Apparatus for detecting presence of oil in a body of water
NO147929C (en) * 1976-12-20 1983-07-06 Bronson M Potter OIL POLLUTION DETECTION SYSTEM.
DE2837920C2 (en) * 1978-08-31 1987-04-16 Münnich-Debus Meßtechnik KG, 8000 München Liquid sensor
US4221125A (en) * 1979-03-09 1980-09-09 Emhart Industries, Inc. Apparatus and method for detecting the presence of a substance on a liquid surface
US4223552A (en) * 1979-03-21 1980-09-23 Emhart Industries, Inc. Apparatus and method for sensing a substance on a liquid surface
GB2062873A (en) * 1979-11-06 1981-05-28 Ilsley P Electrically operated monitoring device for detecting oil pollution
DE19838389C1 (en) * 1998-08-24 2000-03-09 Siemens Ag Method and device for controlling a switchable converter valve with the number of series connections two or greater

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2086579B (en) 1984-11-28
DE3127312A1 (en) 1982-05-13
JPS5770439A (en) 1982-04-30
SE8106026L (en) 1982-04-18
IT1144639B (en) 1986-10-29
FR2492532A1 (en) 1982-04-23
FR2492532B1 (en) 1985-01-04
NO812976L (en) 1982-04-19
AU7204081A (en) 1982-04-22
GB2086579A (en) 1982-05-12
IT8153557V0 (en) 1981-08-26
AU535869B2 (en) 1984-04-05
DK364681A (en) 1982-04-18
IT8168148A0 (en) 1981-08-26
US4361031A (en) 1982-11-30

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